The good and the bad among Senators, Habs and Leafs

 Known collectively on this particular page as the Holy Trinity of Eastern Ontario, the Ottawa Senators and their chief rivals in Montreal and Toronto are off and running (some faster than others) in the drag race known as the 2024-25 NHL season. As we’ve discovered though, it’s not so much

Ottawa goes Green

 As Kermit the Frog sang – lyrics and melody by Joe Raposo – It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green. And you can sing that one to the Ottawa Senators newest head coach who’s getting nailed with the negative from a large majority of wordsmiths on the team’s main chat board. Like

Curing the Blue Monday Blues

 So get this – did you realize we just passed, what is considered, the most depressing day in the calendar year? The third Monday in January is labelled “Blue Monday,” and it has nothing to do with the song by New Order. Nope. The term comes from this ‘makes-sense’ algorithm

Montreal and Toronto: opposites on ice

 It really is a tale of two cities. And while I’m certainly no Charles Dickens, I’ll spin this story out as best as I can. We’ll leave your Ottawa Senators out of this one, people. They’ve been microscoped (new word eh?) to death from this corner. Better yet, we circle

NHL’s Eastern Conference: change is in the air

 It’s been the ignition switch triggering many a discussion since the salary cap came into play 17 years ago – the days of dynasties in the National Hockey League are done. The Montreal Canadiens of the 1970s, NY Islanders and Edmonton Oilers of the 1980s dominated hockey at its grandest

Time to make hay, Ottawa

 The year 2017 seems like, well, a very long time ago. And in hockey speak, it really was. Five ‘very long’ seasons. To not be even competing for a playoff spot post-Christmas for that amount of time, year after year, is inexcusable, right? But there you are Ottawa Fan. And

Keep your eyes on these guys.

 Being a ‘person of interest’ isn’t likely a good thing when relating it to the police. Being the same in this column could be good . . .  or it could be bad. Let’s put it this way, and either way, the 10 guys (close to home) listed and detailed

Mass and Sass heading to retirement

 ABOVE: Defenceman Zdeno Chara is retiring after 20 years. A variety of thoughts this week as training camp for the big boys officially gets rolling. THEY’RE DONE: BIG Z AND P.K. Zdeno Chara and P.K. Subban – two of the most notable defencemen of the past two decades – are retiring.

Canada, who ya’ got?

 Want 6/7th of the country after your scalp? Put together a ranking – top to bottom – of Canadian NHL clubs. So, with that in mind . . . here we go. And for the first time in many a year, the disgruntlement won’t be zinging out of Eastern Ontario.

Senators working the steps, upwards

 Labour Day has come and gone, and for those tiring of summer, the CFL, MLB, tennis, golf and over-long visits from your in-laws, hockey’s about to make its return. As does your charming narrator from over in this corner. Good to be back at Ottawa Life for – what is

Pierre’s Summer of Love

 It is officially off-season for the National Hockey League. For the journalists who cover the circuit pretty well every day from a stretch linking September to early July, this time of year signals a blessed six-to-seven week break. (Having stated that, said journalists are never far from their phones in

On Avs, Alfie and St. Nick

 Various blips in need of a blast in this week’s special National Hockey League roundup. Lots to cover off as hockey melts the ice on another season and has already fired up a jump-start towards the next. Enjoy. Avs Trump a Dynasty It was bound to happen. In fact, I

Leafs’ killer instinct not to be found

 Here it is Ottawa, your absolute favourite subject . . . hello there, Toronto Maple Leafs. I know what you’re thinking: ‘C’mon man, there’s more than one Canadian team in the playoffs. I mean, c’mon!’ Agreed. But consider the bare facts (or Barefax depending on your positioning on certain matters):

NHL not in Jeopardy of lacking playoff questions

 It’s another edition of questions in need of answers. Or answers in need of questions. While this corner is certainly no Mattea Roach, we’ll do our best to seek truth as the playoffs rev up next week. Yowzah! WILL THE OTTAWA SENATORS BE GOLFING OR WATCHING WHEN THE NHL KICKS

Getting enough Z’s, culture changes, Sandman enters and couch-surfing

 A few musings and ponderings as we move less than a couple of dimes from the National Hockey League playoffs. Zub entering Pecos Bill territory Ottawa’s own folk hero? Artem Zub seems to be the unassuming and quiet type; comfortable in getting the job done and calling it a day.

Senators: time for a change

 Jacques Martin. That’s right. Jacques freakin’ Martin. Ask yourself this – as far along as Ottawa Senators current head coach D.J. Smith has taken this relatively young troupe, which isn’t very far to be honest, isn’t it time to push this process along? There is no question Smith has some

NHL business about to get busy

 “Gentlemen start your engines?” Puh-lease. This is more, “Gentlemen, check your tank to make sure it’s topped up, get an oil change, ensure your winter tires are in great shape and bring an extra cushion for your rear end and a bucket of coffee to keep you alert.” This is

Unpredictable to the max: Senators

 There’s a prevailing theme in Ottawa this season – you never know what you’re going to get. Results inconsistency has become a consistent . . . if you get what I’m cooking here. Take the month of January to start. I know, I know, it’s been ridiculously busy with a

Leafs’ lesson a tough pill to swallow

 I hope you were watching, Ottawa Fan. I hope you were listening, Ottawa Fan. ‘Cause Saturday night you were schooled, and even though you despise your teacher, best you’d been paying attention. In the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 6-0 dummying of the Ottawa Senators a number of things stood out. And

Front office changes in Ottawa?

 They’ve made the seismic shift in Montreal. They’ve done the same, finally, in Vancouver. Where does that leave Ottawa? We’re about to find out. But that ‘finding out’ is dependant on a few matters being settled. First – is this recent blip of success about to grow? If so, talk of

String of losing needs to be snipped

 Photo: Courtesy iHeart Radio You know about that saying re-insanity right: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results? If you’re the latest rendition of the Toronto Maple Leafs that means, of course, nailing it repeatedly during the regular season then coughing up a hairball in

Q&A with Victor Mete ahead of the home opener against the Leafs

 By Lukas Weese (Photo: NHL.com) Victor Mete is entering his first full season with the Ottawa Senators. With the 2021-22 campaign being his fifth year in the NHL, Mete arrived to the Senators via the team claiming him off waivers last season after starting his career with the Montreal Canadiens. Over the summer,

All thoughts remain on Brady as NHL season hits pavement

 And I quote: “When these things stretch on, they take on a bit of a life of their own. And, unfortunately, and this may be a little bit of news for you, you can’t believe everything you see on social media. But, unfortunately, what we’ve seen in the last couple

Senators’ rebuild is over? Really?

 “The rebuild is done . . .” "We've had a plan since we started this rebuild. I feel that we're in the next stage now, it's time to start to win.” The previous comments brought to you by Pierre Dorion (from various sources). In some respects, I guess this is

Where Art Thou, Brady?

 Where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? Sure, computer gamers from the mid-1980s would scratch their heads over that one for a few years, but here in Ottawa it’s a different type of game: Where in the world is Brady Tkachuk? St. Louis? Hunkered down in Ottawa . . .